Supreme Court Stays Mumbai College Hijab Ban

The Supreme Court of India has temporarily stayed a directive from N.G. Acharya and D.K. Marathe College in Mumbai that banned Muslim women from wearing hijabs and other religious symbols on campus. Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Sanjay Kumar criticized the college's selective ban, questioning why it did not extend to other religious markers like tilak and bindi. The court emphasized that educational institutions should not impose dress codes that undermine students' freedom of choice and religious expression. The college argued that the ban was intended to maintain a neutral academic environment, but the court found this reasoning insufficient. The Supreme Court has asked the college to respond by November 18 and clarified that the interim order should not be misused. This decision follows a prior Bombay High Court ruling that had upheld the college's dress code policy.